I first saw this picture as a child because Channel 9 in Melbourne always used to screen it on Easter Sunday for many years. That version was a sound re-issue. I then had it on VHS, then a DVD which finally saw the colour sequences restored. Now, I am looking forward to a further viewing with it made like new! It is quite unbelievable how lucky we all are with all these marvelous restorations coming our way with what seems like every five minutes!

Regards fromDonald Binks

"So, she said: "Elly, it's no use letting Lou have the sherry glasses..."She won't appreciate them,she won't polish them..."You know what she's like." So I said:..."

Roscoe wrote:Any chance this might be coming from Flicker Alley, or maybe Criterion, since they seem to have the US DVD rights, or something. Anyway, check this out:

Wow. I remember, too, when a local Cleveland station used to show THE KING OF KINGS every year at Easter. Later on, as the opportunities came, I bought the Kino VHS, and later replaced it with the Criterion DVD. This looks even better than that. I see that the pinkish tone and film decomp that marred the Technicolor scenes are gone, and the colors themselves look richer. The stencil color on the torches is impressive -- looks like a superlative job all around.

The box art says this is a two BR, three DVD set. That sounds like a generous lot of extras, too.

Whether this is released in the States by Flicker Alley or Criterion, I'm going to pre-order as soon as the page goes up . . .

Great news and TKOK was one of the few sincere films that De Mille ever made. That said, I wonder why there are JC wisecracks on this thread? Where are the Mohammad wisecracks? I know, that's a bit too risky.

Mike Gebert wrote:Print looks gorgeous, but boy, I find it hard to stay in the mood when Jesus has that Porter Wagoner 'do!

All the men seem to be sporting wigs, though Mr. Warner's does savor more of Nashville than old Palestine.

More jarring to me is the excessive arm waving and eyeball rolling of the Roman army. A little light show, and they all fall to flailing about, and running away, in the manner of Melies bad guys. Even before the stone rolls away.

How, in heaven's name, did such soldiery conquer the known world from Egypt to England?

The last supper betrayal seems accurate to the Christian Bible with Peter contently nestled into Jesus's bosom, and why shouldn't he be happy? Eternal life in heaven for the homeless Lazarus was to rest his head in Abraham's bosom.

Yes, the restoration looks good, but it's still one of the most absurd silent films I ever saw, and to me represents not only the worst of deMille but the worst of silent era Hollywood - and for the record I thought so back in my religious days as well.

No camera negative exists for the b/w portions of this film. The existing elements are a combination of materials held by UCLA / George Eastman / David Pierce. That includes the DeMille personal copy and Technicolor held in different versions including a portion of camera negative.

WOW!! I didn't think it could get any better than the Criterion release! I didn't think color this rich from two-color Technicolor was possible. Lord, I wonder when we'll get to see this in the 'States . . .

The restored version is now reduced and on sale. Also can be imported from Amazon France. This contains DVD and Blu-Ray versions of the normal and roadshow versions, plus extras. Menus are dual English/French. Uses the original orchestral score.